Despite security theme of show, company suffers from theft

DALLAS- Present to demonstrate its latest intrusion detection system, Zareba discovered that not even one of the world’s largest security trade shows could deter theft. At the ASIS International 2004 Seminar & Exhibits conference in Dallas in September, Zareba arrived to the trade floor early on the last day of the show to discover one of two bullet cameras stolen. The devices were being used to demonstrate its new product Guard Tower, an electric fence intrusion detection system used at facilities, such as car dealers. “We think whoever did this either was incredibly lucky or they knew where the (trade show’s) cameras were pointed,” said Steve Kovacs, manager at the company. Zareba’s two cameras were used to show how once an intruder comprised any portion of the Guard Tower fence, its system could pinpoint where the breach was made and cameras can be pointed to the area for investigation. Kovacs spoke to the person responsible for security at the conference and was told that only half of its booth was visible to the show floor’s cameras. The blind spot was where the cameras were stored. Dedicated Micros’ booth was located directly across from Zareba’s. Although the company left its surveillance cameras operating through the night, a check of the night’s activities did not produce an image of the culprit. Even though the culprit was clever enough to avoid detection, they missed a vital piece of infrastructure. “The funny thing is they didn’t take the power supply,” Kovacs said.